Company refuses C-charge ads

A BUS company has been accused of censorship after it refused to carry a poster campaign by a council opposed to the congestion charge. Stockport council wanted Stagecoach to display its posters on buses in the run-up to Greater Manchester's transport referendum.

A BUS company has been accused of censorship after it refused to carry a poster campaign by a council opposed to the congestion charge.

Stockport council wanted Stagecoach to display its posters on buses in the run-up to Greater Manchester's transport referendum. The adverts would have said: "C-charge. Want to Pay? Have your Say."

Council leader Dave Goddard said the intention was to encourage people to find out more about the charge and register to vote in a referendum on December 11.

But the bus firm, which supports plans for a congestion charge in return for a transport investment package of more than £2.75bn, refused. It claimed the adverts were 'not consistent' with its 'beliefs on the future of public transport'.

Coun Goddard branded the decision 'outrageous'.

He said: "There has been a stream of inaccurate and confusing information issued by the transport authorities about proposals for Stockport.

Accuracy and clarity

"People deserve accuracy and clarity, and Stagecoach should be willing to be part of that. Their behaviour is disgraceful and has no place in a modern democracy."

Mark Threapleton, managing director at Stagecoach Manchester, said the company was within its rights to reject the adverts.

He said: "The TIF package has the potential to bring a host of improvements to public transport and the environment in Greater Manchester including more peak-time buses, more reliable bus services and cleaner air quality for everyone.

"We don't always accept all adverts and have universal policies on certain types of advertising including those which are not consistent with our beliefs on public transport.

"We took the decision to carry our own adverts on our own vehicles and are therefore not accepting any other related adverts from third parties."

Stagecoach said it will spend £70m on 400 new buses as part of a modernisation of the network under the TIF. It also runs the Metrolink system, which would get three new lines.

Stockport council voted against the TIF proposals and Coun Goddard was one of two council leaders and seven MPs who set up a 'Stop the Charge' coalition along with more than 250 businesses last week. The bid would see more than £2.75bn invested in transport from the Government's Transport Innovation Fund (TIF), including £318m to set up a peak hour, weekday-only congestion charge. Some £1.2bn of the total would be in the form of a loan, paid back over 30 years out of profits from the charge.

People will vote in a postal ballot in December on whether to accept the proposals. Voting papers are due to go out at the end of next month, with a voting deadline of December 11.